Page 132 - Eschatology - Masters revised

The Identity of the Leader of the Invasion

The five nations of Ezekiel 38:5–6 will be led by a sixth in the future attack against Israel. God gave three
identifying marks for that leader.

The Leader’s Name
The leader will be “Gog, of the land of Magog” (Ezek. 38:2). Jerome, a prominent church leader (345–
420 A.D.), declared that Magog was located north of the Caucasus Mountains, near the Caspian Sea.
Josephus (Antiquities, I. 6, 1 [123]) and Greek writers associated the name “Magog” with the Scythians.
According to the revised International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, the major group of Scythians lived
near the Black Sea “from the Caucasus around to the Danube.” It appears, then, that the land of Magog
was located near the Black and Caspian Seas north of the Caucasus Mountains, in the southern part of
20th-century Russia.

The Leader’s Political Position
The leader is identified as “the chief prince” or ruler “of “Meshech and Tubal” (Ezek. 38:2; 39:1).
Classical Greek writers called the people of Meshech the “Moschoi,” and Assyrian records referred to
them as the “Muski.” This group settled in the area of Armenia, “where the borders of Russia, Iran and
Turkey converge.”

The people of Tubal were located in the central part of Turkey immediately west of Togarmah.

The Leader’s Geographical Location
Gog ’s location is “the north parts” (38:15; 39:2). The Hebrew word translated “parts” means “extreme
or uttermost parts.” Since Ezekiel was a Hebrew prophet, he would refer to geographical locations from
the vantage point of his homeland. Thus, his statement in 38:15 indicates that when Gog leads the six-
nation attack against Israel, he will come from his location in the extreme or uttermost parts directly
north of Israel. Russia (Red on map) is the nation situated in the extreme or uttermost parts directly
north of Israel.

From what has been observed, it appears that Russia will lead the future invasion against Israel foretold
in Ezekiel 38–39. Why would Russia do this One reason is anti-Semitism. Before Communism, Russia was
notorious for brutal persecution of Jews. While Communism held an iron grip on the government of that
nation, it suppressed the outward expression of hatred for Jews. Now that Communism has lost that
grip, at least for a while, anti-Semitism has been allowed to raise its ugly head again. Some members of
Pamyat, a strongly anti-Semitic organization that wants to rid Russia of, all Jews, blame all of that nation
’s problems on Jews. Some have even accused Jews of being the source of the AIDS virus. As a result of
these ominous trends and the lifting of Communist rule, a mass exodus of Jews from the former Soviet
Union has been taking place since the early 1990s, with the majority returning to their ancient
homeland of Israel.

There is another reason for Russia to lead the future invasion—a desire for status. According to an
independent secular intelligence agency, officers of the armed forces of the former Soviet Union believe
that Russia can still have superpower status, even without Communism, if it will ally itself with Islamic
nations against Israel.

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